Jimmy Nelson takes another major step forward with his strong outing against the Rockies

Jimmy Nelson, who made his spring debut Monday, was stronger in his second outing Saturday in a 5-4 victory over the Rockies.(Photo: Roy Dabner / for the Journal Sentinel)

PHOENIX – The scream said it all.

Walking into the Milwaukee Brewers' clubhouse after just completing his second Cactus League outing, Jimmy Nelson let loose a bellow of what could best be described as extreme satisfaction.

And who could blame him? The right-hander looked superb in what became a 5-4 walk-off victory over the Colorado Rockies at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Saturday afternoon.

Nelson pitched the final three innings and was markedly better than in his debut against the Chicago White Sox on Monday, allowing two hits and an unearned run while not issuing a walk and striking out four over 40 pitches.

"That was awesome," he said. "I’ve been working for that for a long time. I know it’s a spring training game, but I don’t care. That was fun."

Nelson was handed the ball with a 4-3 lead and needed only eight pitches to retire the Rockies in the seventh. He capped that frame with a three-pitch strikeout of Peter Mooney while reaching 95 miles per hour with his fastball.

There were a couple hard-hit balls against Nelson in the eighth, including a single by Daniel Murphy, and he also hit a batter, but he emerged unscathed that inning as well after throwing 13 pitches.

Nelson struck out the first two batters he faced in the ninth – one on a breaking ball and the other on a 93-mph fastball – then surrendered a bloop opposite-field double to Mike Tauchman to put a runner in scoring position.

That brought up Mooney, who on Nelson's first offering sent a routine pop fly to left. Minor-leaguer Cooper Hummel dropped the ball, however, and Tauchman scored to tie the game.

Nelson recovered by notching his third strikeout of the frame, then headed off the mound with a fist pump.

His catcher, Tuffy Gosewisch, singled in Keston Hiura to give the Brewers and Nelson the win.

"It was just one of those things we can’t control," Nelson said of Hummel's drop. "It was one of those things I had to learn across the maturation process – not just through rehab – but since day one in pro ball.

"It’s funny because I was talking to them in the dugout and I was like, ‘Technically you picked me up because I got the win.’"

Nelson pumped in first-pitch strikes more often than not and the slight uptick in velocity – he topped out at 94 against the White Sox – was also a positive for Nelson, who didn't pitch in a competitive game for 549 days after having his shoulder rebuilt in September of 2017.

Ryan Braun (from left), Christian Yelich, Mike Mustakas and Travis Shaw head to the dugout prior to the Brewers' Cactus League game against the Rockies on Saturday. Roy Dabner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Jimmy Nelson put up a strong outing for the Brewers in their game against the Rockies on Saturday, allowing only an unearned run on just two hits with four strikeouts. Roy Dabner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Mike Moustakas of the Brewers gets ready to head to second for a double with Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield acting as the team's first base coach for three innings against the Rockies on Saturday. Roy Dabner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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"Attacking the zone and mixing all my pitches in there," Nelson said. "I threw everything over the course of those three innings, and Tuffy did a great job back there. I only think I shook him off once.

"Being able to go out there each inning and kind of loosen up without any residual effects from the eighth inning, I felt good and I feel good now."

"I was really impressed with the off-speed. I thought the slider and curveball were really sharp," he said. "Fastball command for the most part was spot-on.

"After he hit the guy I thought for a few pitches he lost command. But I would say after the next two hitters he was locked back in. He had a couple really good punchouts, one looking on a backdoor sinker that was a great pitch, and some really good strikeouts with the slider."

Saturday's game might have been Nelson's last in a major-league game this spring as innings begin to dry up with the final week of camp underway.

Manager Craig Counsell said Nelson's subsequent outings will likely be in minor-league games as he continues to stretch out, and that Nelson would remain in Arizona after the Brewers break camp to continue the process.